Cytomegalovirus: nonrandom disease

 Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a member of diverse family of herpes (human herpes virus 5), often referred to as the so-called "new sexually transmitted diseases," on the grounds that it is transmitted through sexual contact and kissing. Indeed, CMV has been opened relatively recently and still little studied, but it is known that pregnant women and babies it can bring the greatest harm. What is the risk of cytomegalovirus and whether it is possible to avoid infection? Women's magazine JustLady answers these and other questions.

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Big trouble

In Latin citomegalia means "giant cells". This name is associated with the strategy of CMV - is activated, it is introduced into the cells, causing them to instantly increase in size.Cytomegalovirus refers to the number Betaherpesvirinae and can be quite a long time in different tissues of the body, for the time being nothing without revealing themselves. Virus has the greatest affinity with human salivary glands, and often it is there and find it. A significant percentage of infections occur through saliva, but CMV is transmitted in many other ways, requiring, however, the close contact - through semen, cervical mucus, blood, breast milk. We can not say that this virus is just waiting to to someone Trailers: oddly enough, after the first contact with the patient healthy human infection is not always, sometimes it takes a long constant communication. Condom way to protect against CMV, but only if you do not kiss. Recent data of American studies have shown that regular hygiene, including washing hands with soap and rinsing the mouth helps reduce the chance of disease by cytomegalovirus several times. This information is particularly relevant for children at risk of contracting CMV in kindergarten. 

Even if the infection occurred, is strong enough immunity allows you to keep this fact without attention (according to some sources, in developed countriescarriers of latent CMV is about 50% of the adult population and 10% of children and adolescentsIn developing powers this percentage reaches 85). Like all herpes, CMV patiently waiting until the body's defense system in a gap, and then attack. Call the "reactivation" of the virus can:

- The weakening of immunity
- Regular exposure to stress
- Unnecessarily prolonged exposure to the sun or under the influence of other sources of ultraviolet radiation
- Prolonged hypothermia
- Improper diet
- Promiscuous.

Fake flu

The acute form of CMV often masquerades as the flu. After an incubation period of the virus (20-60 days) the person begins to suffer from the symptoms of general intoxication, sore throat, migraine headaches and body aches. This condition, called mononucleosis syndrome can last from two weeks to two months - during this period the body gathers strength for retaliation. On how successful he was, depends on the further situation. In that case, if the power is insufficient immunity, cytomegalovirus performs feint and acute stage is replaced by a stable state, however, be one of the following ways.Cytomegalovirus may take the form of all symptoms of SARS or a so-called generalized form in which the internal organ (liver, stomach, kidney, intestines, eye vessels of the brain). At the same time increase the salivary glands, and the skin is covered with a rash. Doctors can continue to work to treat the flu or respiratory infection, marveling at the fact that drugs, including antibiotics ineffective. In that case, if the immune system is weakened utterly (eg AIDS), CMV can cause death.

GreatestCytomegalovirus is a risk for pregnant women, And those that have contracted it during pregnancy. When CMV great threat of termination of pregnancy, miscarriage, premature birth, termination of development abnormalities and fetal death.

If a woman, being a carrier of latent virus, and thus the owner of antibodies to it, became pregnant, the fetus can learn from her virus, but with it he will get antibodies. The child will be born already having CMV, but, under favorable circumstances, and the attention to health, disease, may never were invisible. 1-3% of children infected in utero in the presence of maternal antibodies to cytomegalovirus.

Another thing, if the mother primary infection occurred at a time when the baby was still in the womb. In this case, the consequences can be sad, "brand new" child's immune system is simply not ready to meet with such a predator. Congenital cytomegaly leads to extensive damage to the brain and bone marrow, nervous system, and excretory organs krovetvoryaschih, loss of hearing and vision.About 50% of unborn children fall ill, if the mother is first received CMV during pregnancy. 20% of them die in the first hours and days of life. Survivors often have problems with the development of mental and motor skills, suffer from diseases of the internal organs, jaundice.

That the virus is not mad

CytomegalovirusAs any dangerous and not fully investigated disease often becomes an occasion for medical speculation. Overdiagnosis - the name given to a phenomenon in which the treating doctors and watching all the forces seeking to "sterilize" the patient to find in the analyzes those or other deviations from the norm. At the same time an extensive portion of opportunistic (ie harmful only under certain conditions) mikrorganizmov, bacteria and viruses so manages to stick with the human body, it becomes literally a part of it, and any attempt to "erase" these "immigrants" have become an integral part of landscape, leading to unpredictable consequences.

CMV carriers - one of the most frequent victims of overdiagnosis. According to progressive physicians to take measures totreatment of cytomegalovirus is only in the case if laboratory analysis showed the presence of secretions in the patient's blood or immunoglobulin M - it demonstrates that infection has occurred recently, and the disease is in an acute stage. Other immunoglobulin Related cytomegalovirus - G, reveals that the virus is in the form of passive and active time is not harmful. Similar PCR analysis and determining the presence of antibodies to CMV can only be effective when repeatedly determining the titer - if the disease is severe, the antibody titer increases sharply several times.

The view that it is possible to complete recovery from CMV diverge. One group of doctors argues that from this cell parasite can eliminate one hundred percent with the help of a course of antibiotics or the new generation of drugs designed to cure this particular type of herpes. Others suggest that asymptomatic infection does not require treatment, in principle, and for persons with weakened immune systems can be expressed in regular use of antiviral drugs. But all agree on one point: in order to protect themselves from the "enraged" CMV is necessary to strengthen the immune system and to refrain from casual relationships, especially during pregnancy. And follow the diet: it is important that the diet constantly present foods rich in lysine. This essential amino acid helps to reduce the risk of acute herpetic diseases. Lysine are particularly rich in potatoes, soybeans, lentils, eggs, meat.

Media reports on the success of Phase II clinical trial of a vaccine against cytomegalovirus developed by the US pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur. Attempts to create an antidote, which protects from CMS, taken almost since the discovery of the virus in the late fifties of the last century, but still remained unsuccessful. American vaccine must pass the most difficult test phase - the third, and then will decide on its introduction into clinical practice. While it is difficult to predict how long it takes preparation and conduct of the final stage, but one thing is clear - we all dream about, to our health, especially the health of future mothers and babies were not threatened.

Olga mob
Women's magazine JustLady

Tags: analysis, clothes, pregnancy, stomach disease, the presence of the norm, cytomegalovirus, hungry